Collide
by soccerfreeek324
Summary: Sydney has had many let downs in her life. Her friends, her father, and potential love interests. But her job with the CIA has not been one of them. When mending the loose ends of her life, she meets someone new. Will he just be another lost cause?
1. Lunch

This is my newest fanfic. I hope you enjoy it.

**Title:** Collide

**Author:** Aryn (that's me!)

**Summary:** Sydney has had many let downs in her life. Her friends, her father, and potential love interests. But her job with the CIA has not been one of them. When mending the loose ends of her life, she meets someone new. Will he just be another let down on her list, or will he be her knight in shining armor? If one things for certain, he'll change her life forever.

**Summary Background:** Sydney works for the CIA. Vaughn and Weiss don't work for the CIA. In fact, both Vaughn and Weiss don't even know Sydney. I can't tell you everything now because that wouldn't be fun at all. I changed a lot of the Alias plot line. I'll explain as things go on. May start out as confusing, but you'll understand eventually, I promise. I am most definitely an SV shipper, so you can guess what this fic will be.

**Setting:** In LA, of course. This is my first fic where its not like an alternate universe, sort of. Meaning, has the CIA and stuff. Yeah, kinda confusing, I'm confusing myself, but I trust you'll figure it out.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Alias. Alias belongs to J.J. Abrams. Boo hoo hoo. I know. But I do own anything you do not recognize, so THERE HA HA! Muwah. Oh and I thought of this fic, and started writing it BEFORE the season four finale, so don't think I stole ideas, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T!

**Rating: **T or PG-13. Just to be safe here.

I demand feedback!

* * *

"That will be all," Director Kendall stated sternly at the front of the briefing room. "You are dismissed." 

The few agents being debriefed gathered their papers and retreated for the door, onto their lunch breaks.

"What, no 'Good job in Nice, Sydney'?" Agent Sydney Bristow hissed as she left the room with fellow agent Lindsey Montoya. "You'd think he'd be a little more pleased that I got to the artifact before Sloane. _And _the fact that I saved his ass doing so."

"Kendall doesn't care if you saved his life or not. He's over it," Linsdey explained as the two walked back to their adjoining desks. "But if it makes you feel better, good job in Nice, Sydney."

Sydney smiled in a sarcastic manner, slipping her hand through the strap of her handbag while she searched for her car keys.

"Where we eating?"

"Uh, how about that cafe on the corner of east sixth? I heard they had killer sandwic- Oh, hello Mister Bristow," Lindsey began to say about lunch plans, when Jack Bristow appeared by his daughter's side.

"If you excuse us Agent Montoya, I need to speak with my daughter," Jack said firmly. Then he added in a darker tone, "Alone."

"N-no p-problem, sir. Sydney, I'll be in the lot," it was obvious that Lindsey was intimidated by the senior agent. She gathered a select few papers on her desk thenslid them into her briefcase and made way for the elevator.

Sydney turned so that she was facing her father.

"Good job in Nice."

"I assume there was something else you wanted to talk to me about," Sydney said, slightly annoyed. The tension between her and her father had become so regular lately that it felt rather normal. Since her mother escaped from CIA custody for the second time, Sydney found it slightly difficult to trust her father, as she had her mother. She had fallen into Irina Derevko's trap, to trust the woman who she was told died when she was six.

The first time her mother had escaped from the real CIA, she was helped by Arvin Sloane. Sydney's ex-employer, who turned out to be one of bad guys in the life of espionage. He swindled Sydney and her colleages, making them believe that they were working for a special black ops division of the CIA called SD-6. Sydney found out he had lied to her when he had her fiancee, Danny, assassinated. That's when she joined the real CIA and worked as a double agent to shutdown SD-6.

Irina was taken back into CIA custody when she was caught selling firearms to the Covenant, an intelligence/terrorist organization. Then, the second time she escaped CIA custody, was when there was a mole inside the CIA leaking intel to the Covenant. The mole, Lauren Reed, had freed Derevko and fled the CIA herself. After that, almost two years ago, Irina Derevko was never heard or seen again.

"Dad?" Sydney asked, uneasy as to why her father was taking longer to respond. "Are you alright?"

"A contact of mine, very reliable man, has provided me with intel."

"What kind of intel?" Sydney implored, more interested. Her father sounded more emotional than what he would usually let on.

"About your mother." The two had wandered into small office next to a supply closet.

"Mom? Where is she? Is she okay? Is she alive?" Jack found that his daughter was asking all the same questions he had asked his contact just minutes before.

"In Barcelona, and she is very much alive," Jack muttered under his breath.

"She's in _Spain_?" Sydney hissed. Her mother had been MIA to the CIA for two years, and she shows up _now_.

"Yes, but now I need you to listen to me very carefully," he said. Her father was starting to treat her like she was six all over again. "I've set up an extraction tea-"

"No."

"I don't think you understand, she could provide valuable intel to us."

"I don't trust that woman."

"Stop being so difficult, Sydney. You're just as stubborn as she is." Sydney narrowed her eyes at her father. He continued on as if he hadn't even noticed the pointed look from his daughter. "As I was saying, I've set up a team for her extraction Thursday night."

"Then what the hell do you want from me?" Sydney snapped. "Does Kendall know about this?" Jack was silent, an obvious 'no'. "You still trust her," she concluded on her own.

"I need you to cover for me."

"You can't be serious."

"We need you to do this."

"_We_? Oh, I see how it is now. You're back together. Ha, well I guess you two were never _really _divorced anyways..."

"That doesn't concern you. Just tell Kendall that I'm taking care of some business in Munich. I'll be back Saturday," he said coldly, and left the office.

In the middle of the office hustle and bustle, Sydney stood, emotionally numb. Her mother, a traitor to her, her father, and the CIA, was being brought back into her life. And Irina Derevko wasn't going to be turned into the CIA, she was going to be rewarded with a secret freedom she didn't deserve. _Where's the justice in that?_ Sydney thought. _If I had it my way, I'd turn the wench in_. She simply didn't trust the woman.

What Sydney couldn't understand the most, why did her father trust Irina? The two _were _still legally married. But it seemed to Sydney, that Jack never did stop loving her mother, no matter who she was. _That_, Sydney did understand. But what were her intentions for leaving three times? And what had she been doing those last two years? Who was she working with? _Well, then, _Sydney thought. _I guess Dad was right. She_ can _provide valuable intel. But I still don't trust her..._

"What was that all about?" Lindsey asked curiously as Sydney got into the passenger seat of the car. Lindsey drove the vehicle out of the parking lot and continued onto to East Sixth Street.

Sydney didn't say anything for a minute or so. Until she noticed the younger agent eyeing her intently, she gave up.

"Oh," she said. "Nothing important."

* * *

"So how's Francie taking this all?" Lindsey asked excitedly. Her and Sydney had finished their lunch with time to spare. Checking their watches every once and a while, they continued to chat until it was time to return to work. 

"She's fine. A few broken picture frames here and there," Sydney sighed. "Will stopped by last night and tried to explain, or whatever it was, but she freaked out even more."

"I feel bad," Linsdey frowned. "I told her I went on a business trip this week. Sounds like she's having such a terrible time."

When Sydney had first started at the real CIA, it wasn't long until she was partnered up with Agent Montoya. The two had bonded in such a hasty manner it wasn't long before Lindsey was over at Sydney's having dinner with her, Will, and Francie. They were more friends than they were partners.

Lindsey had become attached to Francie as well, going shopping with her on her days off from the 'bank'. Of course Lindsey went along with the bank cover as Sydney had all the time with Francie because she was introduced as a colleague. Though, Francie had found it odd that the younger agent had to work surprisingly shorter amounts of work hours than the older agent. "Uh, I'm sort of new to the company," Lindsey explained to a suspicious Francie. The nonagent bought her story, but if anything, Lindsey had been working for the real CIA longer than Sydney.

"You still coming over for dinner Sunday night?" Sydney asked, checking if Lindsey's cover story told to Francie would keep. "She's been looking forward to that this week, as far as she's told me. Will's cheating habit has really gotten to her."

"Yeah, I think so, today is Wednesday, so _Thrusday, Friday, Saturday_, Sunday," Lindsey counted the days of the week off on her fingers. "Yeah, I told her I left Monday and wouldn't be back until late Saturday night."

Sydney smiled inwardly. Watching her friend stuggle to keep her stories and lies in check was just a taste of what Sydney had had to go through. After the takedown of SD-6, her relationship with her old partner, Marcus Dixon, had ended abruptly because of her betrayal to him. Marshall Flinkman, the techie at SD-6, however, just wanted to work for the good guys, and started to work at the CIA's Los Angeles office.

Lying to the people she cared about had definitely been the worst part. _Getting shot at, _she reflected. _Not so bad._

"Hey Syd, that guy over there is staring at you," Lindsey coughed. _Were they being watched?_ Sydney's training reflexes went into affect. She straightened up her body, and checked for potential gunmen. Glancing around at the other tables, she was confused as to why she didn't see any suspicious-looking thugs. "No, I didn't mean like _that_ kind of guy. I meant he was checking you out."

_And to think that I already had all exit strategies planned out..._

Sydney casually turned her head to look at who was watching her, pretending as if she hadn't noticed. When her eyes wandered across this one table, a man, maybe in his late twenties, quickly turned back to his friend trying to engage in a coversation. He had dirty blond hair and his emerald eyes held such depth, like an ocean of green.

"That guy he's with is coming over here!" Linsdey squealed. The man, around the same age as green eyes, had dark hair, and was just like Lindsey said, walking over to their table. Green eyes had his head buried in his hands, still sitting at the table, looking embarrassed.

"Hello ladies, I'm Eric," the dark haired man said. Then he said, pointing back at his table where his friend sat, blushing, "And that's my friend Mike." Sydney smiled politely and looked over to his table again. Green eyes started to look familiar.

"I'm Lindsey, and that's Sydney," the younger agent introduced herself and her friend. "Why isn't your friend coming over, is he alright?"

Where had Sydney seen him before? She was sure she had already met him. Or maybe she was just imagining it. Or maybe this was like de ja vu. But no, the setting was all different. She was almost certain that she had met him at a party, but his name, Mike, she assumed Michael, didn't at all ring a bell.

"Yeah. He's just convinced that Sydney here is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen," Eric said without flinching.

"Oh," Sydney said awkwardly, unsure if that was the correct response.

"Hey Vaughn!" Eric called. "Come over here!" Then quickly added to the two confused women, "Vaughn's his last name." Mike Vaughn's head popped up, and he looked more flushed than before, clearly embarrassed. He stood up from his chair and made his way over to the table.

"What's his deal?" Lindsey whispered to Eric before Vaughn was in earshot.

"Her," he said, pointing to Sydney. "I think he's interested," he said, before winking at both Lindsey and Sydney.

When Vaughn had arrived at the table, Sydney stood up, and was first to introduce herself, curious as to why this guy looked so familiar.

"Hi, I'm Sydney," she said warmly, sticking her hand out to shake.

"I'm Michael," Vaughn said, formally introducing himself and shaking Sydney's offered hand. _Nope, name still doesn't match with his face... _She looked deeper into his eyes, finding herself completely enticed. Not that he wasn't intrigued by the shades of her eyes.

"Oh hey, Syd. We're late for work," Lindsey said, interrupting their moment.

"What exactly do you do?" Michael asked, suddenly interested. "I feel like I've seen you some where, just can't place it."

"I'm a bank representative," she replied. _He thought she was familiar too?_ "What about you?"

"I work in investment," he said.

"Have we met before?" Sydney asked, she just had to know.

"No. Besides, I'd remember a pretty face," he said lightly. Sydney blushed. But she was almost certain...nah. Michael smiled.

"Syd, we're really late," Lindsey interrupted again.

"Oh, yeah. Well it was nice to meet you Michael," Sydney said. "And you too Eric."

"You too," said Vaughn. "But I didn't catch your name," he added, turning towards Lindsey.

"I'm Lindsey," she answered. Michael nodded. "Nice to meet you guys, come on Syd. Bye." She pulled Sydney, who was studying Vaughn's facial features, by the arm and towards the exit.

"Oh, Sydney, wait," Michael said. Sydney untangled herself from the younger agent's grip.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch sometime. Maybe tomorrow," he suggested with a hopeful smile. _We _just _met_...Contemplating..._Why not? _she thought. _He's cute enough. And his eyes..._

"Yeah, I'd like that," she said, returning a smile of her own. Lindsey and Eric both rolled their eyes.

"How about here tomorrow at the same time?"

"Sounds good," she nodded. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye. Nice meeting you Eric."

"Yeah, sure, anytime," Eric said, putting his hand up in the air, waving.

"Bye," Michael called after both the agents leaving the restaurant.

"Those guys seemed nice," Lindsey sighed as they got into her car. "What is it now?" she asked Sydney.

"Nothing, its just. It feels like I've met Michael somewhere before..."

"But you just met him now," Lindsey said confused.

"Yeah, I know..."

It was quiet in the car as Lindsey pulled out of East Sixth Street.

"That's it!" Sydney cried.

Lindsey jerked in surprise at her friend's sudden burst of thought. "What?"

"I met him in Beijing," Sydney said to herself more than Lindsey.

"Beijing? Why would he be in Beijing?"

"I don't know."

* * *

**A/N:** I thought I'd add a little bit of mystery there are the end. But I'm just getting started, if you thought that chapter was weird. I have this all planned out. Don't you worry! So, Yay? Nay? I need to know! Please review! I'll give you taters! Hmmmm, what are taters precious? Haha. 


	2. Questions Answered, Questions Unanswered

**A/N:** Hey Everyone! I thought it was about time for an update...after two months. Haha. I've been really busy with school. Writing essays, making sure I don't fail a class I need to pass, you know, same ole' same ole'. So here's the next chapter! WOOT WOOT! (More author's notes at the bottom of the chapter...)

* * *

"I met him in Beijing," Sydney said to herself more than Lindsey. 

"Beijing? Why would he be in Beijing?"

"I don't know."

* * *

_Michael Vaughn, Michael Vaughn, Michael Vaughn..._

It wasn't a familiar name to Sydney, but it was a familiar face. And she knew all too well that it was not wise to wait around to identify a familiar face.

Sydney typed _Michael Vaughn_ into the CIA database and waited for the results.

_Please be clean, please be clean_...Sydney pleaded, though she didn't know why. There was something different in this guy. Different from most of the guys she'd met in her job. He didn't seem like a sleaze and he didn't seem conceited. But then again, she'd just met the guy fifteen minutes ago. _But I saw him in Beijing!_

Her computer stopped humming, signaling it was done searching.

_Database searched---Michael Vaughn results: 7_

She scrolled down the page and was surprised to see that the only results the computer had found was Michael's California State driver's liscense and transcripts for parking tickets, late movie rentals and library book returns.

"Damn Syd," Lindsey said popping over her shoulder. "Now the only excuse you have to kick his ass is for not returning, _Steel Magnolias_? What guy watches _that _movie, and keeps it for three weeks over its due date?"

"Michael Vaughn," Sydney answered. She could have been almost positive she'd met Michael in Beijing a few weeks back. "_And _he forgot to return Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire back to the library two days ago," she laughed.

"See? There's nothing wrong with him," the younger agent smiled. Sydney smiled back. "So you're still meeting him for lunch tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I don't really have a reason not to," Sydney sighed. "Unless you count reading Harry Potter against him."

"He seems like a really great guy."

"Probably is," Sydney sighed again, resting her chin in the palm of her hand with her elbow on the desk.

_But something just doesn't fit...

* * *

_

"What's that?" Weiss asked as he came up behind Vaughn at his desk.

"It's nothing," Michael murmured in response, still absorbed into what was on his computer screen.

Weiss peered over his friend's shoulder. "You're doing a background check on her? That's just weird."

"Don't be stupid."

"I'm not the one being stupid. You're the paranoid guy who does background checks on women that he dates."

"Who's says we're dating?" Vaughn asked, his back still to Weiss.

"You're having lunch tomorrow, aren't you?"

"So what."

"Dude, any woman who accepts an invite to lunch with a guy like yourself obviously wants to jump you," Weiss explained. "And its not like you backdown either."

Michael spun his chair so that he was facing Weiss. "I've seen her before, Weiss. I know it."

"Well it can't be that hot chick from China. The one with the French accent," Weiss chuckled slightly. Vaughn looked at him. "Holy shit. It's not her, is it?" Vaughn looked away. "Ah hell no, dude. No."

Vaughn looked from the notes on his desk to the information on the screen before him. _Who are you? _

"Wait," Weiss said. The next minute he was searching the database for Sydney's driver's liscense. "Look there," he said, pointing to her neck on the ID.

"Move your finger and then maybe I could see whatever the hell you're pointing at," Vaughn snapped. He was already frustrated with the fact that he couldn't figure out who this woman really was. "What? I don't see anything."

"Exactly," Weiss smiled, nodding his head.

"You're insane," Vaughn shook his head, annoyed, and continued to go through the files on his desk.

"No, you don't get it, man. The woman in this photo doesn't have a mole on her neck the size of Texas. And the woman from China did."

"It could have been part of her diguise, Weiss," Vaughn said.

"Why would anyone want a mole to be a part of their disguise. Unless they were trying to pose as someone else who specifically had a mole on their neck."

"Alright, you win," Michael sighed.

"I'm so glad I'm not field rated," Weiss sighed as well, taking a seat in his desk next to his partner.

"But you are," Vaughn laughed.

"I know, I just like how it sounds when I say I'm not," Weiss shrugged. He really didn't like dealing with the people he met in the field.

The expression on Vaughn's face started to become blank in clear thought.

"Mike, all you can do is give her a chance."

"She _does _have a pretty clean record," Michael smiled looking at her information on the computer. "Except for one speeding ticket."

"You have plenty of those, bud," Weiss said, patting Vaughn's shoulder. "And late movie rentals."

"Eric, the only reason why I have late movie rentals is because you use my account, and keep the movies months after they're due," Vaughn retorted. "I think you owe me over a hundred in late fees."

"Well if you would have watched _Steel Magnolias_ with me like I asked, maybe there wouldn't be any damn fees to begin with."

"_That's_ what you rented for so long?"

"It's a beautiful movie! I bawled like a baby!"

"Only you Weiss, only you."

* * *

It was three minutes after noon, and Michael was waiting at the same outdoor cafe from yesterday for Sydney. Where was she? Was she standing him up? 

_No, you're paranoid. She's only fifteen mintues late. Be cool Mike..._

"Hey."

He looked up into her brown eyes and stood up to wait for her to sit down. "Hey."

"Sorry I'm late," she quickly apologized. "I had to finish this report for a cilent in San Diego." Sydney smiled. "How was work this morning?"

He couldn't help smiling back. "Nothing too interesting. Meetings, dumb colleagues. The same, old, great stuff like everyday," he said.

"You really like your job, huh?" she could tell that he really did.

Michael nodded. "It's actually not that boring, like I make it seem," he said earning a soft laugh. "Probably not as exciting as yours, I don't get to travel much." Really, he did, but maintaining his cover job status was almost instinct to tell people he didn't know very well.

"Other than work, what else do you like?" she asked, setting down her menu, deciding that what he liked to do was more important than a club sandwich.

"Sailing and hiking. But I don't have much time for either of them," he shrugged. "So running is my break."

"Oh, I love running," she beamed. Of course, with her job she needed to stay in shape. But no one said she wasn't allowed to enjoy working out.

"Have you ever ran the trails around Lake Brown?" he asked her, intrigued by their common interest.

"I thought you didn't do much traveling," Sydney cocked a brow.

"Wisconsin isn't _that _far to be called traveling," he defended himself. She looked at him. "Alright, my cousin lives there." She was still giving him that look. "Hey, I didn't say that I literally lived and breathed only California."

"True."

* * *

"And he just stood there and laughed as I made a complete ass of myself," Michael laughed. "But Eric is really a great guy once you get to know him." Now it was Sydney who laughed. 

The two were now enjoying the other's company, while waiting for the bill.

"Vaughn, he tied you to the tree in the town center with only your boxers," she said trying not to laugh so hard to embarrass him all over again. "Yeah, I'd say he's an excellent friend." Michael shrugged.

"What about your most embarrassing moment?" he implored.

"Oh no. That story is too long. Maybe another time," she blushed but quickly covered up with, "What was the last book you read?"

"I can't tell you that one," he Vaughn grinned, shaking his head.

"Come on, I told you that I was the band geek in high school," Sydney whined.

He snickered, earning himself a sarcastic smile. _Not as pretty as her real one_. "But you also said you were Homecoming Queen junior year."

"Michael."

"Okay. But you can't laugh."

"Alright," she grinned.

"Harry Potter," he muttered. Sydney clapped her hand to her mouth as Michael hung his head in shame. "You said you wouldn't laugh!"

"Well you never said you read Harry Potter!" Though she already knew he did. She just loved watching him get embarrassed.

The waiter brought the bill and set it down in the middle of the table.

Sydney looked at her watch. "Shit, I'm late for work."

"Don't worry about it, I got it."

"No, no, I made you wait for like twenty minutes, I'll pay."

"Syd, I got it," he insisted.

He called her _Syd_. "Are you sure?" she asked with uncertainty.

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?" she smiled mischieviously.

"You have to go to dinner with me Friday night."

"Done," she grinned. Sydney stood up. "Thanks for lunch Vaughn. Oh, here's my number," she said, pulling out a piece of paper and writing her phone number on it with the pen that came with the check for their lunch.

"Anytime," he got up from his seat as well offering his hand to shake.

Instead she enveloped him in a friendly hug, then pulled away slightly, holding onto his forearms. "I'll see you Friday."

"Bye Syd."

* * *

_Four months later..._

Sydney was strolling down one of the quieter, and safer, neighborhoods in New York City. She had just finished one of her longer tasks in the city and was granted a week from work after the mission. All she hoped for was that her father and Kendall would be pleased with her work. Her mother as well, even though they were just past the awkward part of rebuilding their relationship. Since she knew how, she always wanted to make her mother proud, even after Irina 'died'.

She was reminded of her mother by the large trees lining the streets between the apartments.

The leaves were golden and maroon, but also dropping from their branches like rain. She loved fall. _This is perfect weather to go for a jog later tonight..._

As she walked back to the apartment she was renting for the mission, her eyes spotted someone on the otherside of the street sitting on a bench at the small park on the streetside corner.

_No, it can't be._

Sydney casually crossed the street after the last car had passed through the otherwise peaceful neighborhood.

She approached the man sitting on the bench, reading the paper. But she was apprehensive at the thought of even speaking to him. Instead, she just walked right by the park and continued on to her apartment which was in the next building over.

"Syd?" was a voice behind her. She turned around and smiled politely even though that was her very opposite reaction.

"Hey Vaughn."

* * *

**A/N:** There people. I updated. Sorry it took me so long! Please review. And I'm so sorry that it was so short! I just haven't had the time to make any of the chapters longer lately. But I promise the next ones will be longer! I think I've gotten into the groove of updating more often again. I hope you guys liked it. I think my other two fics in play right now should be updated by the end of the week. Hope everyone had a great time over the holiday break! 


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